HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



Ill 



greatest zealots, that it should be 

 tecommended to all who could 

 afford it, to wear sir Francis Bur- 

 dett's livery, by way of uniform. 

 But it was judged by the more 

 moderate, that this would carry too 

 rauch the appearance of a symp- 

 tom and symbol of conspiracy.— 

 Soon after break of day the popu- 

 lace was in motion, and the sound 

 of music was heard in every street. 

 At nine o'clock in the morning, a 

 multitude, consistlngchiefly of the 

 parish of St. Ann's, Soho, which 

 they considered as being, in fact, 

 the head-quarters of the Burdett- 

 ites, proceeded to the Tower, as a 

 guard of honour ; and, by ten 

 o'clock, all the places of rendez- 

 vous pointed out by the committee 

 were filled with the partizans of sir 

 Francis. Towards the afternoon 

 the whole line of streets from the 

 Tower to Stratton-street, Picca- 

 dilly, was thickly planted with 

 people. Every window and elevat- 

 ed station was occupied. In Picca- 

 dilly, scaffoldings were erected. 

 The sides ot all the streets were 

 also nearly lined with waggons, 

 teams, and carts, filled with men, 

 women, and children, and every 

 eye was eagerly turned to the 

 quarter from whence the spectacle, 

 so mucli desired, was expected to 

 come. 



In the mean time, measures of 

 prevention had been taken by the 

 civil magistrates, by a proper dis- 

 position of military assembled in 

 and about the metropolis. 



The different bodies of men, 

 that were to form the procession, 

 wore blue cockades. This badge 

 was also every where to be seen 

 among the multitude that lined ths 

 street. Most of the ladies wore 

 thegarfer blueribbon. From many 



houses were suspended rods with 

 ribbons of the same colour. Nu- 

 merous bodies of the Westminster 

 electors began to repair to the 

 Tower, about one o'clock, pre- 

 ceded by bands of music, and with 

 blue silk colours flying, on which 

 v/ere inscribed various devices ; 

 such as "The Constitution," "Tri- 

 al by Jury," " Magna Charts," 

 " Burdett for ever." The North 

 and West sides of Tower-hill were 

 immensely crowded with people of 

 every description, which prevented 

 the procession from being arranged 

 in the regular order that was in- 

 tended: for never had greater pains 

 been taken to order disorder and 

 confusion. About three hundred 

 men on horseback arrived at Tow- 

 er-hill, about two o'clock; among^ 

 whom was Major Cartwright, and 

 Col. Hanger, mounted on a white 

 horse, with a large oak stick in his 

 hand. Theyall wore blue cockades. 

 The ramparts of the Tower were 

 filled by soldiers, in their slop 

 dress, and without arms. They were 

 frequently cheered by the people 

 on Tower-hill, but to none of 

 these salutations did the soldiers 

 make any return : whether in this, 

 they were guided by their own 

 good sense, or by orders from their 

 officers. — After along andanxious 

 expectation of the appearance of 

 sir Francis Burdett, a soldier in 

 the Tower called out several times 

 to the populace, through a speak- 

 ing trumpet, "he is gone by 

 ■ water." But no one seemed to 

 credit what he said. A little af- 

 terwards one of the constables, 

 posted on Tower-hill, assured the 

 peoplethat sir FrancisBurdett had 

 really gone by water. It is ex- 

 tremely difficult to banish ardent 

 hope and expectation. The con- 



